KGWD (formerly KCFS) is a radio station in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. The station broadcasts Catholic talk radio and has been in operation since July 1985.
One night in May 1991, I was driving through South Dakota to visit family in Sioux Falls. As I drove, I would constantly change the station to drown out my thoughts. After a few minutes, I landed on KGWD.
I listened for a few moments, and everything was normal as I continued driving. I can’t remember how long it was until the station stopped mid-song. When I looked down at the radio, it suddenly became staticky, with the static stopping and starting every 10 seconds.
When I went to change the station, the static stopped and cut to a man with a deep voice. He began humming as the static started again, the static barely allowing him to be audible.
I wanted to turn it off but was too curious to do so, as the man stopped humming and began speaking. The static began stopping and starting again, and due to the noise, I was unable to make out what the man was saying.
The words I could make out were "awaken," "seize," and "must". I was unable to make anything else out as the man was replaced with Gustav Holst's The Planets, Op. 32: Jupiter, The Bringer of Jollity.
As the music continued, I started getting a headache due to the static, which had gotten louder and louder, nearly drowning out the music. Loud tapping sounds began playing in a pattern.
The tapping and static intensified until the music was no longer audible, then abruptly stopped. The station went silent for around 20 seconds as I quickly moved to turn it off. However, a gut feeling told me to leave, and the feeling grew stronger as my hand approached the dial. I became nauseous and came to a halt as soon as I touched it.
Following the silence, a loud beeping tone began to play for 12 seconds before abruptly stopping and returning to silence. Suddenly, the station came back, with the host apologizing for the delay.
A few minutes later, a viewer called the station and inquired about the strange broadcast; the host informed him that nothing of the sort had occurred and that the delay was only 15 seconds.
Even now, I see people discussing the incident on online forums, but any attempts to contact KGWD have resulted in the same excuses. Whoever is responsible has obviously never been caught, and with the amount of excuses, I'm starting to believe it was a mass hysteria.
Hopefully one day I’ll have some real answers; until then, goodbye.